Machine for printing and issuing



Feb. 23, 1954 H. F. FORD 2,669,926

MACHINE FOR PRINTING AND ISSUING TICKETS, LABELS, AND THE LIKE Filed June 9, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I j L I J Inventor Attorney 1954 H. F. FORD 6 MACHINE FOR PRINTING AND ISSUING TICKETS, LABELS, AND THE LIKE Filed June 9, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 \I I nvenlor M644 Attorney H. F. FORD 2,669,926 R PR NG AND ISSUING T LAB AND THE LIKE INTI ELS,

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 MACHINE F0 TICKETS;

Feb. 23, 1954 Filed June 9, 1950 Feb. 23, I954 FORD 2,669,926

MACHINE FOR PRINTING AND ISSUING TICKETS, LABELS, AND THE LIKE Filed June 9, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor A tlorney Feb. 23, 1954 FORD 2,669,926

MACHINE FOR PRINTING AND ISSUING TICKETS, LABELS, AND THE LIKE Filed June 9, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WM Aim Attorney Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE MA HiNi; son PRINTiNG AND ISS'UiNG TIGK-ETS; LABELS, AND THE Hargld E Ford, Cirencesten, England, assigno to f'l. I. M." (Ticket-Issue Machines) Limited,

Cir'nce's'tr, England, a British company Apfiflifififibh June 9, 1950, S'erial'No. 167,231

4 Claims. 1 invention. relates to machines for printing and issuing tickets, labels and the iikaund to the kind wherein a ticket or the like is completely printed on a strip of paper drawn from a supply roll by a hand operated rotary printing element having adjustable dies to enable values and other data to be varied and the operation of which causes the printed portion of the paper strip to be projected through a-slot in the machine casing for deta'chment and use. .T-he object of the present invention is topmvide improvements-in the construction or" a machine of the kind described in the preceding paragraph for the purpose of extending the range of its applications and to enable tickets, labels and the like which hither toneeded to be written or completed by hand, to be printed and issued automatically with a copy or more than one copy and an automatic record to he kept of the transactions efiected by the aid of the machine. Amachine constructed according to the present invention-may be used, for example, to sprint and issue simultaneously two or more tickets of identical character ior use in conditions such as obtain in cloakroofns where one label is 'aflixed to an article of l g a e aha a receipt therefor is handed to the dposito-r. 'AIte'rnative1y, the invennen can be applied to 'fnachines "for .in ear lb irkss to enable W70 iitlfitibal tickets (if dif- .fereng colours to be issued simultaneously one Fig. 4 is-a sectional view-(if one or the printing inachine taken on theiline w -D' oi Eig. #1,

Fig. 6 is a detaiiview of the paper roll magazines,

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan of the printing die setting mechanism,

.Fig. '8 is a, sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a perspective View of a machine similar to that shown in Figs. 1-6 but adapted [for stationary purposes. "The machine shown inFigs. l to '8 is of a port able character and is constructed 'to print and issue two tickets or labels simultaneously. Such a machine can be utilised, for example, cyan attendant in charge of a parking place whov is enabled to issue two tickets in different colours one of which "intended to "be afiixed to the vehicle and the other handed to the driver. These tickets apart from their difierence in colour are identical character and would bear such variahis data as the amount paid, a serial number, and the date or issue.

'The machine comprises a casing I having therein "two rotary printing drums '2 and 3 mounted upon a common shaft 4 'hav'ingan extern'al handle 5 one complete revolution of which serves for the :prmt'ing and issuing of one pair or tickets. The casing also includes inking rollers "Gand '1 making frictional contae'twith the surraces or the printing 'dr'ums 'anol "also magazines 8 ahdiahousing the paper'sp'o'ols'and the pressure rollers between which and the printing "drums thepaper strips pass "as they are printed and simultaneously ejected through slots ID. The in-king rollers 6 and-i and the spool magazines '8 and *9 maybe constructed respectively accordin ftoourpriorSpecifications N'os. 598,492, now 'U. "S. iatent No. 2544;2'i9 and 598,491, new U. 8. Patent No. 254E042. The printing drums "-2 and 3 may he conveniently "constructed, mounted, providedwith die setting means, transmission mechanism and recording "devices of the forms shown in any of our prior--Sp'ecifications Nos. 3B8,8'62,' now ET-."Pate1it No. 23-15;1-8'2, 477,685, how abando'ned, or 5'98,939,-now U. Patent No. 2540309. the present invention, however, theconstrudtion is modified 'to applyone'arrangeiiient fer setting tnewariame dies in bothprinting diuiiis a single set of auxiliary mechanisms siich as the mecereimg mechanism.

Each h'a's fixed printing-surfaces arranged to print certain-invariable mattersu'e'h as the particulars the authority lb'y whom :the tickets are issued, ithe :eonditions or issue sand/er advertising matter. an addition each "printing ilrum'h aswariabreiuiesiliz, 43, 2M, 1125 and :16 1(Fi'g.

. 55 41) iorilpriiiting items which vany with each tissue 3 such as the cash paid and the serial number or items which vary daily such as the date of issue.

The value printing dies [2 are adjusted by Operating a disc I! (Fig. 3) mounted on the exterior of the casing and having a number of apertures [8 adjacent each of which is marked one of the values which the machine is arranged to print. To operate this disc a finger is inserted in one of the apertures l8 and the disc partially rotated until the finger abuts against a stop 19 mounted on the casing and projecting partially over the surface of the disc. The stop I 9 has an extension which engages a ratchet wheel 20 and temporarily locks the disc in the adjusted position. This arrangement is shown and described in detail in U. S. Patents Nos. 1,920,085 and 2,137,915. The movement imparted to the disc has in the meantime been transmitted through a spindle 2i (Figs. 7 and 8) and gear 21a to a toothed rack 22 which is arranged to shift a number of toothed discs 23 axially along the shaft 4 into a position wherein a tooth on one of them engages a corresponding value recording counter (not shown) of which a member is arranged in the space within the casing around the discs 23. The discs are mounted on a square portion of the shaft 4 for rotation therewith, so that when the handle is rotated to operate the printing drums, the corresponding counter is actuated to record the value of the ticket printed.

In their construction and operation, the toothed discs 23 and the recording counters are substantially similar to the corresponding arrangements shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,137,915. The actual adjustment of the printing wheels [2, to bring the printing dies corresponding to the value set up on the disc [1 into alignment with the printing surfaces, is effected by means of a sliding rack 22 (Figs. 4 and 5) which at one end is connected to the discs 23 for movement therewith both in an axial and a rotational direction, and at its other end is slidably supported by guide brackets 22a, fixed one within each of the printing drums. Each of the printing wheels I2 is mounted upon a spindle to which is fixed a pinion 24 which is engaged by the rack 22, so that rotational adjustment of the disc l! is transmitted through the rack 22, discs 23, and pinion 24 to cause a corresponding rotational adjustment of the printing wheel l2.

The adjustment of the printing wheels 13 which may be utilized for printing class indications, is effected in a similar manner to that described above. In this case the adjustment is controlled by an arm 25 situated below the finger disc and movable over a dial or scale marked on the exterior of the casing. Movement of the arm 25 is transmitted through a pinion 26 (Figs. '7 and 8) to a sliding rack 27 which is arranged to shift a number of toothed discs 28 axially along the shaft 4 into a position in which a tooth on one of the discs engages a corresponding recording counter (not shown) of which a number is arranged in the space within the casing around the discs 28. As in the case of the discs 23, the discs 28 are also mounted on a square portion of the shaft 4 for rotation therewith, so that when the handle 5 is rotated to operate the printing drums, the corresponding counter is actuated to record the class of the ticket printed.

A sliding rack 21a (Figs. 4 and 5) is connected at one end to the discs 28 for movement therewith both in axial and rotational direction, and at its other end is slidably supported in the guide brackets 22b. The printing wheels I3, which are 4 rotatably arranged upon the spindles carrying the printing wheels l2, are each formed with a pinion 37 which is engaged by the rack 21a, so that the axial movement of the rack which results form a corresponding movement of the discs 28 when the arm is adjusted, causes rotation of the pinions 31 and consequently of the printing wheels [3 to bring the printing dies corresponding to the class set up on the scale into alignment with the printing surfaces of the drums 2 and 3. It will be seen from the foregoing description that when the handle 5 is rotated to turn the shaft 4, the two sets of toothed discs 23 and 28, the racks 22 and 21, and the printing drums 2 and 3 are all moved together in a rotational direction.

The printing: wheels l4 within the printing drum are for printing the date of issue on the tickets and are adjusted daily by hand.

Also within the printing drums are the printing wheels l5 which print a serial number on each ticket issued. These wheels are progressed by a distance corresponding to one digit during each operation of the machine, the adjustment being effected by fixed snail cams 29 engaging pinions 33 meshing with toothed wheels 3| co-axial with the number printing wheels l5.

The printing wheels it within the printing drum are adjustable in position by means of a rotary knob 32 (Fig. 5) at one end of the casing. Rotational adjustment imparted to this knob causes similar movement of a spindle 33 carrying bevel wheels 3 meshing with bevel wheels 35 whose movements are transmitted through 5 gear trains 36 to the spindles of the printing wheels 16. In order to ensure that the printing wheels i5 are correctly positioned, the knob 32 rotates in co operation with a device such as a pawl and ratchet or a spring pressed ball catch which will. retain the spindle 33 and its associated components temporarily in an adjusted position.

To enable the tickets issued by the machine to be readily distinguished, it is preferable in most instances to employ one roll of white paper and one roll of coloured paper and as a safeguard against improper use of the machine either intentionally or accidentally, one roll (that enclosed within the magazine 9) is made of slightly greater width than the other. The roll of paper of the narrower width is formed with a smaller central hole than the roll of paper of the greater width, thereby ensuring that each roll can be operatively positioned only in the magazine intended to receive it. The arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 wherein a spindle comprising two portions 38 and 39 of different diameters is carried by an arm 40 pivotally mounted to enable the spindle to be moved out of the magazine, as shown in Fig. 6, for re-charging. The arrangement shown requires that the roll of paper of lesser width has the smaller central aperture and can' therefore be positioned only over the portion 38 of the spindle while the roll of paper of greater width is too wide to be accommodated in the magazine 3. In this manner correct positioning of the two supply rolls is ensured. The side walls of the magazines are provided with arcuate slots 4| through which the spindle 3839 is moved after the positioning thereon of the paper spools, the operative position being reached when the spindle rests in the inner ends of the slots 4!. When this position has been reached the magazine covers 42 can be moved to the closed positions shown in Fig. 2. As each cover embodies apressure roller within its structure, the printing and issuing of tickets cannot take place until a cover is in the closed position shown in Fig. 2.

When a machine of the construction described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6 is to be used in a stationary position, it may be mounted in a supporting frame as shown in Fig. 9. This frame allows the machine to be readily removed for inspection, adjustment or repair by disengaging hooks 53 from eyes id to allow a portion 15 of the framework to be moved around a hinge at and thereby free the machine from engagement with the frame.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited. to the details of construction above described. For example, a machine may be provided having more than two rotary printing elements but with the same common setting and operating means as shown in Figs. 1 to 8. In a machine having three printing elements, for example, each paper strip could be of a different width and arranged for mounting over a spindle having portions of three different diameters.

Further, it is not essential that two or more tickets or labels issuedsimultane-ously should be exact replicas the one of another as although it would be necessary that each should bear the same value, serial number and date other matter could be varied especially where one of two tickets issued simultaneously is to serve as a receipt and the other as an identification of ownership.

I claim:

1. A machine of the kind described for printing and. issuing tickets, labels, receipts or the like comprising two rotary printing drums, a manual ly-operate-d shaft providing a common support for said drums, a paper roll magazine for each of said printing drums, means mounting said magazines adjacent to said printing drums, paper rolls, means for ensuring the correct positioning of paper rolls within the magazines, a plurality of printing wheels carrying a plurality of printing dies supported within each of said drums and adjustable independently to present any of said dies at the printing surface of the drum, means for operating simultaneously each of said drums during each revolution of said shaft to draw a supply of paper from its adjacent roll and to impress the dies at its printing surface onto said paper and to deliver the impressed portion thereof from the machine, common setting means for selectively adjusting some of the printing wheels in each drum to present similar dies at the printing surfaces of the drums, and external setting members for operating said common setting means.

2. A machine of the kind described for printing and issuing tickets, labels, receipts or the like according to claim 1 wherein the means for ensuring the correct positioning of the paper rolls within the magazines comprise a spindle having portions of different diameter, each of which is adapted to support for free rotation thereon a separate paper roll, two pairs of vertically arranged side plates having arcuate slots formed therein, said spindle extending in a direction parallel to the axis of the printing drums, an angularly movable arm upon which said spindle is mounted for arcuate movement into and out of operative engagement with said arcuate slots, a separate paper roll being located between each pair of said plates when loaded in its magazine.

A machine of the kind described for printing and issuing tickets, labels, receipts or the like comprising a casing, two rotary printing drums in said casing, a manually-operated shaft providing a common support for said drums, a pressure roller with which each of said drums co-operate, a paper roll magazine for each of said printing drums mounted adjacent thereto, paper rolls, means for ensuring the correct positioning of said paper rolls within the magazines, a plurality of printing wheels carrying a plurality of printing dies supported within each of said drums and adjustable independently to present any of said dies at the printing surface of the drum, means for operating simultaneously each of said drums during each revolution of said shaft to draw a supply of paper from its adjacent roll and to impress the dies at its printing surface onto said paper and to deliver the impressed portion thereof from the machine, common set ting means comprising two toothed racks each supported within said printing drum for movement therewith in a rotational direction but for movement relative thereto in an axial direction, said printing wheels being provided with pinions through which movement of each rack is transmitted to the printing wheels, an external disc operatively connected to one of said racks for moving it in an axial direction by the rotational adjustment of said disc to selectively adjust a printing wheel in each drum simultaneously, and an external arm operatively connected to the other of said racks for moving it in an axial direction by the angular adjustment of said external arm to selectively adjust another printing wheel in each drum simultaneously.

4. A machine of the kind described for printing and issuing tickets, labels, receipts or the like according to claim 3 including an additional common setting means comprising a spindle extending axially through the printing drums, a knurled knob mounted externally of said casing and connectable to the outer end of said spindle, a gear train connecting said spindle and another of said wheels in each drum, said spindle being operable by rotational adjustment of said knurled knob to transmit movement through said gear train to the last-mentioned wheels in each drum for selectively adjusting said printing wheels, and means being provided for retaining the knob and the spindle in their adjusted positions during operative rotary movement of the drums.

HAROLD F. FORD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 740,274 Heftler et a1 Sept. 29, 1903 1,340,221 Fuller May 18, 1920 1,920,085 Langdon July 25, 1933 1,949,744 Horn Mar. 6, 1934 2,137,915 Kinnard et a1 Nov. 22, 1938 

